$10 million student-housing complex being built near YSU

By David Skolnick | March 6, 2019 at 12:10a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Construction on a $10 million student-housing complex near Youngstown State University is expected to start in June.

The city’s Design Review Committee on Tuesday approved the demolition of buildings near the campus for the project.

The off-campus location, not affiliated with YSU, will have more than 200 beds for students, said Kevin Willis, an architect with Strollo Architects, which is designing the project. He made the presentation to the city committee on behalf of Campus Lofts LLC, a subsidiary of Trilogy Realty & Development.

Construction will start by June with completion expected by July 2020, Willis said.

The complex will be ready for students to move in for the fall 2020 semester, he said.

“There’s demand for student housing,” Willis said.

Campus Lofts is developing the property at 235 Wick Ave./9 E. Rayen Ave., the current Penguin Place property; and 236 N. Champion St., the former St. Vincent de Paul thrift store.

The student-housing complex will not include space for retail stores, Willis said.

Campus Lofts purchased the buildings for $1.025 million.

This complex is near The Enclave student-housing complex that opened last year. The Enclave is opening a Chipotle restaurant and a Mercy Health clinic later this month.

Also, the city committee approved a request from the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church to demolish the former El Emanuel Congregation Temple at 117 E. Rayen Ave.

The building is dilapidated with the floor collapsed and several windows missing, said Angela J. Mikulka, an attorney for St. Nicholas.

The church wants to demolish the building in April or May and turn the site into a parking lot, she said.